Trump names Bill Pulte acting director of national intelligence
President Donald Trump named Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday, a surprise move that would elevate a political ally with no known background in intelligence to a key national spy post.
Pulte will take over for Tulsi Gabbard, who announced plans to leave the DNI post at the end of this month. Pulte has used his perch at the housing finance regulator to push for investigations into Trump’s perceived political enemies.
“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The White House and Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to a request for comment on when Pulte would take over and if Gabbard was stepping aside.
Pulte made headlines last year for recommending the Department of Justice investigate Democratic lawmakers, Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James over unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. None of the allegations have led to a conviction.
But it’s helped him earn a powerful ally in the president.
“KEEP MOVING FORWARD, WILLIAM, DON’T LET THE RADICAL LEFT WEAKLINGS STOP YOU!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in July 2025.
Pulte also advocated for Congress to investigate then-Fed Chair Jerome Powell over the renovation of the central bank’s headquarters and promoted a widely panned 50-year mortgage idea championed by Trump.
Trump’s announcement made no mention of nominating Pulte for the permanent DNI job, but if he did, confirmation would be a tall order. Democrats are deeply suspicious of Pulte given his central role in Trump’s campaign to dominate the Federal Reserve, as are many Republicans.
Any nomination would have to move through the closely divided Senate Intelligence Committee, where opposition from any one Republican could sink a nominee’s chances amid solid Democratic opposition.
Panel member Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) recently lost his Senate primary after Trump endorsed a scandal-ridden competitor who was seen as more loyal to the president, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana have also broken with Trump at times on foreign policy and other matters.
Pulte will remain at the helm of the federal housing agency — and stay on as chair of government-controlled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — as he takes on the new post, Trump wrote on Tuesday.
The director of national intelligence is responsible for overseeing the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies, as well as the delivery of a daily compendium of pressing spy material to the president.
Because the DNI has no authority to conduct foreign spy operations, the officeholder’s influence depends on their relationship with the president — something Gabbard struggled with throughout her tenure.
During a tumultuous year-and-a-half-long stint running the country’s intelligence apparatus, Gabbard saw her influence wane and was sidelined as the president pursued aggressive foreign interventions in Iran and Venezuela.
More than once, the president reportedly mused about firing her. Her onetime chief-of-staff, former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, left the job in March over his opposition to the war in Iran.
In the end, Gabbard resigned to care for her husband, who is fighting bone cancer.
But Gabbard, too, played into Trump’s thirst for political vengeance. She revoked the security clearances of former intelligence officials from prior administrations and has helped supervise the Trump administration’s investigation into the 2020 election, which Trump still falsely maintains he won.
Cassandra Dumay contributed to this report.
المصدر: Politico
